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• Paul Heckingbottom says Sheffield United ‘suffering’ after death of Maddy Cusack

  Sheffield United men’s manager Paul Heckingbottom says the club is “suffering” following the death of women’s player Maddy Cusack.

  The 27-year-old, named vice-captain last month, had just started her sixth season with the Blades in the Women’s Championship and was the longest-serving player in their current squad when her death was announced on Thursday.

  The Blades intend to pay tribute to Cusack, who also worked in the club’s marketing department, during Sunday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle.

  Heckingbottom said: “First and foremost everyone’s thoughts are with Maddy’s friends and family, a lot of Maddy’s friends work at this football club.

  “Maddy, especially in my time here, has been a big part of everything, a senior figure among the women’s team and the media team as well.

  “Everyone would see her about all the time. It’s tough and we need to make sure everyone is OK at the club and we all support each other because it is sad, sad news.

  “(Chief executive) Steve Betts called me yesterday and it knocked me back a bit, I’ll admit. As much as we are preparing for a huge, huge game and wanting to get on with everything, it has affected a lot of people.

  “Maddy has been to so many people in the club, there are a lot of people suffering and feeling it, without a doubt.

  “We look after everyone here, but first and foremost we are thinking of Maddy’s family. And we send them our best.”

  Cusack’s picture will appear on the front of the club programme, players will wear black armbands, while discussions are ongoing over other possible tributes.

  “There are plans and discussions going off for a tribute, we want to be very respectful to Maddy’s family as well and make sure they are heavily involved and understand what we want to do,” Heckingbottom added.

  “As much as we want to show our respect and thoughts and how we are feeling we want to make sure her family lead on it.”

  The Football Association is also in contact with the Blades over an appropriate tribute.

  Baroness Sue Campbell, the FA’s director of women’s football, said the organisation was offering its support to the club.

  “On behalf of the FA, the Lionesses, the Women’s Super League and the Women’s Championship, our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Maddy’s family, friends, team-mates and everyone at Sheffield United,” Baroness Campbell said.

  “Maddy also represented England at age-group level and we will pay tribute to her at an appropriate point.”

  Billy Sharp, the former captain of United’s men’s team, also paid tribute to her on social media.

  “Such a lovely girl. Enjoyed some amazing times with Maddy and the Blades. Such a sad loss. RIP Maddy,” he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

  Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out also said it was “deeply saddened” by the news of Cusack’s death.

• Erik Ten Hag: Man Utd players are fighting together to turn around poor form

  Erik Ten Hag insists Manchester United are fighting together to try to turn their season around.

  The Red Devils have lost four of their first six matches, with Wednesday’s 4-3 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League following a 3-1 reversal against Brighton, leaving Ten Hag embattled little over a month into the new campaign.

  The Dutchman said: “It’s my second year. I know it’s not always only going up, you will have your gaps and you get stronger from it as long as you stay together, and that’s what we’re doing.

  “The dressing room, staff, all the staff, coaches, medical, everyone is united and at United you fight.”

  Stories of disgruntlement in the dressing room have begun to appear while the attitude of players has also been question.

  Ten Hag tried to paint a positive picture, saying: “I don’t know if it’s a leak but I know opinion, I know my players. Everyone can make suggestions, we are OK with it.”

  There have also been suggestions of unhappiness at the influence of Ten Hag’s agent, Kees Vos, and his Sports Entertainment Group on transfer dealings.

  “It can’t be because we make very good agreements about it from the start, how we cooperate in that manner,” said Ten Hag. “For player decisions, transfers, it’s always 50-50, we both have a veto – the club, represented by John Murtough, and me. So there can never be a distraction.”

  United’s poor form has made Saturday’s trip to Burnley a high-pressure occasion, and they will again be without Jadon Sancho, who remains absent from the squad.

  “It depends on him,” said Ten Hag. “For the rest, we are preparing for Burnley and that’s our focus. He will not be in the squad.”

  United have not been helped by a multitude of injuries but could have Raphael Varane, Mason Mount, Sofyan Amrabat and Harry Maguire back for the clash at Turf Moor.

  Central to United’s problems has been a lack of defensive solidity, with 14 goals conceded in their last five games.

  Goalkeeper Andre Onana held his hands up after making a mistake for Bayern’s first goal but Ten Hag believes the problems are collective.

  “It’s about team and, as a team, we don’t have the results in this moment so then also individuals don’t bring the performance you expect, not only one player, there are more, including the manager,” he said.

  “I always tell my players we attack with 11 and we defend with 11. When one or two are not doing their job, it’s like a pack of cards, so that is not only one or two players.”

  Burnley picked up their first point on their return to the Premier League against Nottingham Forest last time out and Ten Hag is a fan of their style of play under Vincent Kompany.

  He said: “As always, it’s about how we play against Burnley. There’s no easy games, definitely not against Burnley.

  “We know how intense they play football, we know their approach. I like the approach from them, the adventure, high intensity and dynamic in their game, so we have to play our best.”

• From Paul Pogba to Angel Di Maria – Manchester United’s recent flops

  Jadon Sancho is seemingly been frozen out at Manchester United after he took to social media to claim he has been made a “scapegoat” for poor results.

  It leaves his future in doubt and if he was to leave, it would see him become the latest big-money flop to grace the Old Trafford turf in recent years.

  Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some others.

  Paul Pogba

  Pogba has to go down as one of the biggest flops in the club’s history. He came through the youth system only to leave on a free transfer to join Juventus before United then paid close to £90million to bring him back in 2016. There were flashes of brilliance but they were outweighed by lethargic, inconsistent performances and he again left on a free in the summer of 2022.

  Donny van de Beek

  The Dutch midfielder was one of the hottest properties in Europe as he was part of the Ajax side that lit up the Champions League on the way to the 2018/19 semi-finals. He was bought for £35million in 2020 but has never got going at Old Trafford. Even a reunion with his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag has failed to resurrect a highly promising career and he remains in the wilderness.

  Angel Di Maria

  When the Argentina international signed from Real Madrid in 2014 for just shy of £60million he was one of the most expensive players in the game, but that did not translate into his performances at Old Trafford as he struggled to make an impact, which was not helped by his wife’s outspoken views on her new surroundings. One year and just 32 appearances later he was sold to Paris St Germain.

  Henrikh Mkhitaryan

  A £30million signing from Borussia Dortmund in 2016, big things were expected of Mkhitaryan given his outstanding performances in the Bundesliga. However, he failed to deliver and just 18 months later he was a makeweight in a deal that saw United sign Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal – another move which was hardly a success story.

  Harry Maguire

  The England defender has copped a lot of flak and has for large parts been a solid and dependable performer for United. But because of his £80million fee in 2019, which made him the most expensive defender in the world at the time, he has been scrutinised more than most. He currently finds himself out of Ten Hag’s plans, after losing the captaincy, which means he has not delivered value for money.

  Antony

  Regardless of the Brazil winger’s current off-field problems, he has simply not delivered on his eye-watering £82million fee. He is very much a Ten Hag signing, following the manager from Ajax last summer, but his first season at Old Trafford was disappointing and his start to this campaign has not been much better.